Computer City: Only You

Chapter 01 – Anniversary

The moon shone through the window of their room. Naomi’s eyes opened slowly, looking to the darkness that had settled overnight into the room. She turned over and saw Eizan, still asleep, in bed. She had to get up for work now, so she sat up and slide her glasses onto her face. She scooted out of the room, grabbing a blanket to keep her warm in the rather cold house, and off into the computer room. In the computer room waited three computers, one for each member of the family. Naomi flicked a few switches and pressed a few buttons, turning on lights here and there on her computer. She sat down in her chair and leaned back a bit.

Her eyes slide over to her calendar next to the monitor. It was December 19th. Naomi sighed as memories from two years ago flashed through her mind. She remembered that event that brought her and so many people together. What had saved Net Life from destruction. It felt like yesterday her life had been so full of excitement and that every day she was waiting for something more. Ever since December 25th those two years ago, she had never heard from or saw Shizuzu again. She missed Shizuzu, though she knew that her and her siblings were better off now.

Her computer finished starting up, and the monitor spilled light into the room. Loading up her OS greeted her with the character Minae Sakimono, from the popular online anime “Kimi Dake” that she was watching. After imputing her password, Naomi’s desktop icons scattered across her desktop appeared. She double clicked her mail program open. Her life had become normal after that even two years ago, and once again she was back to receiving no new mail every morning. Sighing, she closed the mail program and opened up Net Life. Naomi slid down the headpiece required to play, and picked up her controller.

No longer did Chieko work the shift after her. Nor did Kochiyo proceed her shift. Familiar faces faded away and new ones came into play. Naomi rushed her character off to the library of Warakuna Hana. The person before her had left before she logged on, carelessly leaving the place unattended, even if for a few moments. Naomi didn’t know whose shift was before her now, all she knew was that whoever it was never left a second late.

Just like before, Naomi was left to herself the entire shift. After her fateful encounter with Shizuzu and everyone else, the minutes seemed to tick by even slower. She wanted something new to appear, she wanted adventure. But it never came, and inside she knew it never would. No longer were the days of adventuring and memory capturing. They had saved Net Life, only to normalize their days again. Sometimes Naomi wondered what happened to all the friends she had met those two years ago. She didn’t see much of any of them now.

Nahoko was probably graduating this year from school, and would become a full-fledged Blade User, without her sister Kimie as a Mage to follow her six years later. Harumi might have remarried now, and was probably living a much happier life with whoever she’s with. Emi most likely is still leading the Kokoro Brigade, though Naomi didn’t know what she could be working on now, since the Shizuzu case is long closed. As for Chieko, Naomi had heard she moved to another area in real life, though she was never sure since any connection between real life and this reality weren’t always true. The only person she was sure of what had happened to was Eizan, but then again, how could she not? The event two years ago connected their lives forever, and now they live together with their daughter, Shizuzu, named after the AI that brought the two of them together.

Shizuzu was now a year old, not yet able to become a member of the online reality. She looked nothing like the AI she was named after, but that didn’t matter really. She was growing up well, and her parents were anxious to bring her into the internet realm that had started all of this.

Naomi peaked out of her goggles and over at the clock on her desk. She still had a few minutes left until Sachi, the new girl following her shift, arrived. Eizan would wake up soon, so after Sachi took over Naomi would go and make some breakfast. Wanting to read something, she looked through what was new in the library, though she found nothing. Fortunately for her, when closing the window a face was almost right in hers. It was Sachi, waiting for Naomi to get out so that she could take over. Sachi wasn’t the most considerate of people, and didn’t care too much for Naomi. Her fire-red long hair and bright red eyes spoke of her attitude and temper, and the glazed look in her eyes always had people thinking twice before talking to her.

She quickly side-stepped out of the library and scooted her character off to her normal spot to sit. As she walked she realized how little had changed in these two years. Heck, in all the time she’s played this place has never changed. The same buildings stood in the same places. The same benches stood unchanged, save for seasonal edits. The streets never changed… Nothing changed. Nothing ever did. Only the people and their memories.

Naomi sat her character down and went AFK to make breakfast. Taking her goggles off from her head, she realized what time it was due to the fact light was finally coming from the sun rather than the moon. Naomi got up from her chair and headed into the kitchen. She got out a box of pancake mix and a bag full of chocolate chips. Eizan always love chocolate pancakes, and since she felt like actually cooking today, Naomi decided to try and make some. She wasn’t sure exactly how to do it, though with the time she had now, she figured she could get it right before her woke up.

The back of the box gave the instruction to properly make pancakes, though obviously Naomi would have to alter them a little bit to make chocolate pancakes. She figured that all she had to do was to put the chocolate chips in at the right moment, so she made the pancakes like normal. Once she poured it into the pan, she dropped a few chips in, making sure they weren’t all clumped together, and flipped the pancake over at the right time. She seemed to have gotten it right, and when she flipped it over and put it on the plate, her guess proved correct and the chocolate chips weren’t burnt nor sticking out from the pancake. Proud of her work, Naomi made a few more chocolate pancakes, and then sat down to eat two of them. Eizan walked slowly in, carrying Shizuzu. He put her in her high chair and grabbed the second plate of pancakes.

“Morning.” Naomi said, smiling.

“Hm. Something more then cereal today?” Eizan said, looking at his plate.

“Felt like cooking. You don’t like it?” Naomi asked.

“No, no. Just not used to it.” Eizan cut off a piece of his pancake and stuck it in his mouth. “This is good.” He smiled

“Thanks.” Naomi replied as she finished off one of her pancakes. “I’ll get Shizuzu’s bottle.” Naomi said as she stood up.

Naomi grabbed a bottle and filled it up, warming it right as well. She gave Shizuzu the bottle and watched her stick it in her mouth and suck on it. Shizuzu’s blue eyes looked around the room, between Naomi, Eizan, and everything else in-between. Naomi returned to the table and began her second pancake. Eizan was just about done, and soon enough finished off his breakfast.

“I’ve gotta go work, you’ll be taking care of Shizuzu for now, right?” Eizan asked to be sure.

“Yeah, just like everyday.” Naomi nodded.

“Alright.” Eizan said, turning around and heading to the computer room.

“Come on Shizuzu, up you go.” Naomi said to her child, lifting her from the high chair. Putting Shizuzu on the floor, Naomi went to put the bottle away. Shizuzu stood for a few seconds and then plopped back down on the floor. Her blue eyes looked around the room at the blank walls with wonder. Naomi returned and picked Shizuzu back up. Heading into the living room, she helped Shizuzu get out a few toys and just watched her play. Naomi wanted to turn on the “TV”, which was really just connected to the video portion of Net Life, but she knew she had to watch Shizuzu.

Around lunch Eizan came out of the computer world to have some lunch. Naomi didn’t make anything, so they were left to pick something to eat.

“So, anything exciting today?” Naomi asked, hoping for something.

“No, not really.” Eizan sighed, knowing what she wanted to have heard.

Naomi sighed, “I’m going to go check my e-mail for a second, watch Shizuzu for me, ‘kay?” Naomi smiled and headed into the computer room.

“Like I’m going to say no.” Eizan shouted back as Naomi left.

Naomi shook her mouse to get her screen back out of screensaver. She had a mail icon in the corner. Her hopes grew, it could be anyone. Since two years ago, she had returned to the way she was before, it could be anyone from the adventure she had. Heck, it could even be Shizuzu! Naomi’s face filled with excitement as her mail program opened up. Since she was so occupied in finding out what it said, she didn’t check the sender, and just opened it up. The message read…

“You may be in danger. Please contact me soon. I need to speak to you again.”

The message, short and sweet, was from Emi. “Eizan! Come over here!” Naomi shouted into the other room, needing to show this to him.

“Looks like an adventure again.” Naomi smiled.

“Looks like it.” Eizan repeated, smiling as well.